Speed-indicator.



No. 738,683. v

no MODEL.

E. J. noneson. SPEED INDICATOR;

v APPLIOATIOF FILED AUG. 28, 1902.

PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

a s ums-sum 2.

"UNITEI J STATES Patented September 8, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR J. HODGSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- I-IALF TO HAROLD JOHNSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

SPEED-INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,683, dated September 8, 1903.

' Application filed. August 2a 190 Serial No. 121,364. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR J. HODGSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Speed-Indicators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficient speed-indicator especially adapted for application to automobiles, or what are frequently designated as horseless carriages? and to this end it consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

Asis a well-known fact, it is the almost universal tendencyof chauffeurs or automobilists to run their machines at a dangerously high rate of speed. To obviate this, various ordinances or laws have been passed attempting to limit the maximum running-speed permissible for such machines within certain districts; but the great difficulty has been to determine with any reasonable certainty the speed at which the machine is running atany particular time. By my invention I provide a device whichwill enable an officer or any other person standing on the side of the road as the machine passes him to note the running speed of such vehicle.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views. Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, show-' ing my improved speed-indicator applied in working position to the running-gear of an automobile or other vehicle, some partsbe:

ing broken away and some being sectioned on the line as w of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a view, partly in front elevation and partly in vertical section, showing the parts noted in the description of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 09 00 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a vertical section on-the line 40 m of Fig. 2.

The numeral 1 indicates'the axle, and the numeral 2 one of the Wheels of a vehicle, the latter of which is loosely mounted on the for-' A vertical shaft 5 is 'journaled in the upper} and lower portions of the standard or bracket 4 and is provided near its lower end with a long-toothed gear-wheel 6, which meshes with the gear 3. The gears 2 and 6 work as beveled gears, but their teeth are such that close adjustments or accurate setting thereof is not necessary.

The principal parts of the indicator are contained within a drum-like case or housing 7 which is rigidly secured to the upper end of the standard 4 and is thus supported thereby. The drum 7 is provided with removable heads 8, and spaced just outward thereof said drum is preferably provided with transparent panes 9. Secured to the inner face of each head 8 is a bearing-bracket 10, in which is loosely mounted an intermediate shaft 11 and independent outer or stub shafts 12. Rigidly secured to the shaft 11 is a beveled gear 13 and a cylindrical head 14. The shaft 5 projects upward into the drum or case 7, is journaled in one of the bearings 10, and is provided with a beveled gear 15, which meshes with the gear 13. To the head 14 is pivoted a plurality of arms 16, as shown, four in number. These arms 16 are yieldingly drawn inward by springs 17, and at their free ends they are provided with weights 18 in the form of loosely-pivoted rollers. The rollers 18 work against a segmental leverv 19, which is pivoted to the case 7 at 20 and is subject to a spring 21,.connected thereto and to one of the heads of the drum and normally holding said lever inward, as indicated by full lines in Figs. 3 and 4. At its free end the lever 19 is provided with reversely-extended arms 22, to each of which is pivoted the forward ends of links 23. The rear or outer ends of the links 23 are pivoted to racks or toothed bars 24:, mounted forstraight-line movements between guide-pins 25 on the cooperating heads 8 and working one through each of the bearings 10. The teeth of the racks 241- mesh with pinions 26, secured one to each of the stub-shafts 12,

and it will be noted that one of the said racks works above and the other below the said pinions, so that the shafts 12 will be given simultaneous but reverse movements.

Seoured'to the outer end of each stub-shaft 12 is a pointer 27, which cooperates with the dial marked on the outer face of the adjacent head 8. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) The said pointers 27, it will be noted, work in the spaces between the corresponding heads or dials 8 and transparent panes 9.

The operation of the device is substantially as follows: Normally the parts stand, as shown in the drawings, by full lines. Vhen the vehicle is under motion, the shaft 11 and head 14 will of course be rotated at a speed depending directly upon the speed or advance movement of the vehicle, and under the action of centrifugal force the weighted arm 16 will be thrown outward against the action of their springs 17. The rollers 18 will thusbe thrown outwarda distance depending on the speed of rotation of the said head 14. As the said rollers 18 engage the segmental lever 19 the said lever will be forced outward to or toward the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3, and under such movement the racks 24 will be moved and acting on the pinions 26 will rotate the stub-shafts 12 and move the pointers 27 over their cooperating dials, and thereby indicate the speed at which the vehicle is running or advancing forward. Of course to accomplish the above result the springs'17 and 21 must be graduated or set under the proper tension, and, if desired, means for adjusting the said springs may be provided.

Dials and pointers are preferably provided on each side of the mechanism-inclosing case, so that boththe occupants of the vehicle and persons standing at one side thereof may note the speed of travel; but it would of course be within the scope of my invention to pro: vide but a single arrangement of the same.

In View of the segmental form of the lever 19 two of the rollers 18 will always be in en'- gagement therewith whenever the vehicle has acquired any considerable speed, so as to throw the said rollers away from the said head 14:.

It will of course be understood that the device described is capable'of considerable modification not herein specifically noted within the scope of my invention, as herein set forth and claimed.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. A speed-indicator comprising a codperating pointer and dial, one of which is movable with respect to the other, a rigid segmental spring-pressed lever 19 pivoted at one end and connected at its free end to the movable member of said indicator, and a rotary head having a plurality of spring-pressed levers 16 provided at their free ends with rollers 18 which engage the said lever 19, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. A speed-indicator comprising a suitable case supporting dials at its opposite faces, the shafts l1 and 12, the former having the gear 13 and head 14, and the latter having the gears 26 and pointers 27, the weighted levers 16 pivoted to said head 14 subject to springs 17 and provided with the rollers 18, the springpressed segmental lever 19, and the racks 24: meshing witlrsaid pinions 26, the one working above and the other below said pinions and both connected to said lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR J. I-IODGSON.

WVitnesses:

ELIZABETH H. KELIHER, F. D. MERCHANT. 

